Principal

Dear Members of the Academy Community,

“Own Your Path, Find Your Power, Leave Your Mark” -  This was the focus of the presentation delivered by Grace Pucci, Alumna of the Class of  2017, at yesterday’s International Women’s Day breakfast.

Grace’s presentation explored the importance of staying grounded in your identity and allowing personal values to lead you toward a more authentic way of life.  By moving past external markers of success, she showed how discovering what really matters helps you own your path with clear intention, how staying true to yourself helps you find your power, and how small, sincere actions empowers you to navigate the world with purpose and leave a mark that lasts.

Grace,  who has a double degree in Law and Business and is currently working as a lawyer in  Queensland, founded the  Bond University Community Outreach Group to help students volunteer and give back to their community.  She challenged us to be our authentic selves and demonstrated that small positive actions can empower us and inspire others.  Her speech was so appropriate for the Academy community, particularly in the year where our Senior Student Leaders had chosen as our theme for the year, “Courage to Care.”

We were honoured to have Grace return to her Alma Mater and demonstrate for us the lived expression of the Mercy values we hold so dear.

The term is already flying past but so much has been achieved in so little time.    We have had many of the “firsts” – the first meeting of the Parents’ Association and of the College Advisory Council, the wonderful Year 7 Welcome Evening  where it was such a pleasure to meet and mingle with our new Year 7 students and their parents, the Year 7 Camp,  the recent Swimming Carnival won, yet again, by Sherlock (with Goold distinguishing themselves by coming a surprise second after a series of poorer results!)

A particular highlight was the Alumnae Reunion on 22 February where over 100 past pupils returned to remininse and reconnect.  Particular acknowledgement must be made   of  the four women who  were students in the 1940s!!!!    They enjoyed sitting together reminiscing about  their time at the College over 70 years ago!!  

Our Year 7 students have settled into Academy life seamlessly and are already making a contribution to the life of the College.  Our Year 12 Student Leadership team are busy organising a myriad of activities across the year levels and, in particular, the Year 12 formal which is fast approaching.

Each year, our Year 12 students are given the privilege of wearing a “ Year 12  hoodie” during their final  year with us.  This year they surprised us by electing to place on the front of the hoodies, the Latin motto of the Academy which is  “Speculum Sine Macula”   “Mirror Without Blemish.”    This motto was incorporated into the College crest  in 1907, the College’s Golden Jubilee. 

It is a different and challenging motto but one that can be can be interpreted as follows. 

If you look at the College crest, you will see there is a mirror in the centre.  Our College, the Academy of Mary Immaculate, is dedicated to Mary - Our Lady, who is seen as the mirror of true womanhood.  So that is one interpretation of the meaning of the motto.

Another way of interpreting the motto is in this way  -  If you look through a mirror you can see yourself.  The mirror reflects your image back to you.  You can’t change what is reflected back.   Hopefully, however,  you see that the mirror reflects back who you really are – your goodness, your honesty, your striving for a better world.  Hopefully it reflects back you – a woman of Hope and Justice - A woman endeavouring to be the best you can be and one who lives the Mercy Values.   Someone who does her best to live the updated motto - ‘Live the truth”.

We know our students will  endeavour to live the motto in word and deed this year.

We are now in the season of Lent and I offer this reflection:

Every Blessing.

Sr Mary Moloney rsm 

Principal